


Observer

by tatertotarmy



Category: Rune Factory (Video Games), Rune Factory 4
Genre: F/F, Secret Santa
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-12-21
Updated: 2016-12-21
Packaged: 2018-09-10 18:48:40
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,347
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8928874
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/tatertotarmy/pseuds/tatertotarmy
Summary: Nothing escaped Arthur's calculating gaze. Especially not the blushes and nervousness of two particular women.





	

**Author's Note:**

> Originally written for art-olive on Tumblr for the Rune Factory Secret Santa

Arthur was an observer, and a clever one at that.

On the few occasions that Margaret forced him out of his work and into the restaurant, he would spend a lot of his time just watching everyone carry on. He would observe just how Dylas’ tail would twitch whenever Doug annoyed him. He observed just how long it would take for Margaret to navigate a plate away from Porcoline. He would watch Frey converse with the other girls in the restaurant, and how she struggled to keep a conversation sometimes, especially when the girls talked about their childhood.

Most of all, he observed the way Margaret’s eyes wandered. How they would dart to the front door every time it opened. How she would look at Kiel like she wanted to ask something. How when Forte entered the restaurant, a warm smile appeared on her face, with a glow that she only kept for the dutiful knight.

Arthur wasn’t sure if anyone else had figured it out, but he knew that the resident elf had fallen for Selphia’s dutiful knight.

At first, Arthur hadn’t a clue what to do with this information. He had been content to just observe silently, watch it unfold from his little corner of the restaurant. But hours, days, weeks passed without any development on either side. He would watch Margaret every time in the restaurant, looking longingly at Forte with unspoken words of affection, words halted at every bite of her lip and every avoided chance at eye contact. Or the way she would get shy whenever she performed a love song while Forte was in the room, when she would be her usual self otherwise.

Of course, Arthur had eventually figured it out with Forte. The way she desperately avoided looking at Margaret to avoid a flush on her cheeks. So strict, it could have passed for some sort of knight training. Forte certainly had the diligence for it to be similar. Arthur even had trouble spotting it at first.

The two seemed to be at a standstill. And unfortunately, Arthur hated how they would just avoid the inevitable. Frey had been fascinating to watch, the way she pursued Dylas in a quiet, controlled way. However, in that situation he could spot some sort of progress, and at least Frey was forthcoming enough to eventually admit her feelings if she so chose to do so. With Forte and Margaret…he would be an old man before they admitted their love to one another.

So, he needed to intervene.

“Margaret, can you do me a favor?” Arthur called out from his desk, carefully looking at the clock to make sure he spoke at the right time. If this was going to work, then he needed to make sure that everything was exact. Right on the dot.

He heard footsteps, and then Margaret passed into his half of the building, huffing a little as she carried a noticeably empty place in her hands. Ah, it looked like Porcoline got to the food too soon.

“Sure, I need a break,” Margaret spoke, a little grumpier than usual. Arthur merely smiled his usual merchant’s grin, fetching a small slip of paper from his desk. He held it out, and Margaret strode over to take it, glancing over the contents with a raised eyebrow.

“Can you deliver this to my contact at noon?” Arthur asked, “They should be by the main gates by then. He will be asking for me.” Or at least, he should be.

“Uh…sure,” Margaret glanced up at him, “Are you sure this is the right message?” She turned the paper over to show him the various symbols on the other side.

“Old trader’s code. Easier than writing it all out.”

It was actually just some scrap he had tested some new stamps out on, but she didn’t need to know that.

“Oh!” Margaret exclaimed, now looking at the paper as if she were seeing it in a new light, “Okay! I’ll be sure to do it. You just promise you take a break, alright? If you’re swamped enough to ask for help, then you’re definitely getting a break tonight. No matter what, okay?”

“Some things can’t wait long, Meg,” Arthur answered with a short chuckle. Margaret gave him the usual look, the look that meant he was going to the restaurant tonight no matter what he said or did, and waved, heading back to the other side of the building.

Now, time to set the scene.

He waited for three minutes, leaving Margaret time to straighten out the restaurant before stepping out. Then, he walked to the front door to look outside, where Forte would be taking a patrol right across the road. Arthur opened the door and poked his head out, seeing the dutiful knight doing a patrol right near the door. Perfect. Leave it to the dutiful knight.

“Forte…” Arthur made his voice timid, unsuspecting, “I’ve been having a trader harass me for a long while. I think they’ll be back again, and I can’t afford interruptions today.”

“What?” Forte turned her head, eyebrows furrowing, “You’re being harassed? By who?”

“A stamp dealer,” Arthur admitted, “Unfortunately, he isn’t pleased that I’m not happy with his wares.” He ordered stamps with words, only for the words to not entirely show up.

“For shame!” Forte exclaimed, “Do you know where they are?”

“I just know that he’s been showing up by foot, and I’ve seen him wandering into town at about this time…” Arthur sighed, “I hope he isn’t harassing Meg…”

“Meg?” Forte perked up, a little more concerned than usual, “Is Meg having issues as well?”

“Well…I asked her to send a message…and…”

He didn’t even finish by the time Forte was marching off towards the front gates of town. Arthur could only read the straight, tense back of Selphia’s knight, and he smirked. Arthur stepped out, quietly following Forte through the town until he saw Forte practically lifting the trader up by the shirt, slamming him into a nearby wall. Beside them, he saw Margaret looking a little flustered with the note still in her hand.

Some development in exchange for some revenge on a harasser. Definitely a successful day, all in all. The way that trader had been writing in his letters, a little roughhousing would do him some good.

He watched as Forte yelled at him for a while, and once the trader scurried off, Arthur rushed forward, feigning exhaustion as he marched up to Margaret.

“I’m so sorry…” Arthur spoke, “My contact’s actually coming tomorrow…I mixed up the dates…”

Only whatever he said fell on deaf ears.

Margaret was staring at Forte, some admiration and a blush on her face. Forte was looking away, another blush on her face.

Arthur was silent for a while.

Were they really not going to do anything aside from stand there? The blushes on their faces were obvious. He had known that the trader would be a little riled up after seeing his stamps on the paper - especially if Margaret mentioned his name - so he figured that a dashing knight could rescue the beautiful songstress in need. 

“Well…” Arthur cleared his throat, “Is there something on Forte’s face, Meg?”

“W-What?” Margaret jumped, as if finally noticing he was there, “A-Arthur? You said you were busy!” 

In the corner of his eye, he saw Forte slyly trying to sneak away with her clunky armor, “I am…but I remembered that my contact was coming tomorrow. But, I figure Forte has everything handled here, right?”

Forte stopped in her tracks, “Yes…”

“Ah…that man has been giving me some trouble. Meg, can you tell Forte what happened exactly?” Arthur gave a feigned shy wave, “I really have to get back to work, but I hope you’ll have time, Forte.” With a small wave, and taking a mental picture of how red they both looked, Arthur bounded back to his lodgings.

Hopefully some time alone would further some development.

If not…then he would just have to try harder, wouldn’t he?


End file.
